Woman Leaves a Trail in Wild, Colorful Auto Chase

What began Friday morning with the report of a hit-run accident at Valley Boulevard and Baldwin Avenue, El Monte police said, turned into a wild--and colorful--chase led by a 38-year-old woman in a stolen City of Los Angeles paint truck.

The pursuit by rookie Officer Michelle States reached 60 m.p.h. up and down streets and back and forth along the San Bernardino Freeway through Rosemead, Alhambra, Monterey Park and back to El Monte.

The trail was marked, said El Monte Lt. Ken Jeske, by spatters of paint. And by dented cars.

Jeske said more than a dozen vehicles were clipped in five separate locations during the 25-minute chase as the suspect, identified as Virginia Quinonez, 38, of Los Angeles, rammed cars that were in her way.

No one was seriously injured, but one person was taken to Greater El Monte Community Hospital.

Quinonez was finally captured, Jeske said, when the paint truck bounced over a curb and crashed into a pillar in a Southern California Rapid Transit District parking lot at 3501 Santa Anita Ave., El Monte.

The woman was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, felony auto theft, driving under the influence of drugs, hit-run and evading a police officer, among other charges.

Jeske said at least two people had called to report that their cars were hit by the stolen paint truck before the matter came to the attention of police. He said officers would appreciate hearing from any other victims.